Official Festival Rules

It is very important that sponsors, captains and team members be aware of and follow Festival Rules. You may download the Festival rules by clicking HERE.

Rules – Updated August 21, 2018

ADMINISTRATION

1. Eligibility

1.1 Each Team must compete with a minimum of eight women per boat per race. If any Team is short the required eight women, it shall race shorthanded to correspond to such deficiency. For example: If a team has six women, it will be allowed to race with no more than 18 paddlers. Each team must race with a minimum of 16 paddlers per boat.

1.2 Each Team must race with a drummer.

2. Registration

2.1 The registration fee is $900 per team. Each team must register and pay the non-refundable deposit fee of $100 with the balance of the non-refundable registration fee due by July 1, 2018 (early registration made by November 30, 2017 has a $100.00 discount.) Checks shall be made payable to the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival. Completed forms and payments shall be mailed to:

2.2 Final team rosters shall be submitted to the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival at Registration the Friday of the Festival. Teams may replace or fill out rosters after that date under these guidelines:

2.2.1 A paddler or drummer may be on more than one team roster. The completed Team Roster form will function as the official notification to the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival. The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival will not be responsible for scheduling conflicts for paddlers on two or more teams.

2.3 Team Manager (or Captains) will self-seed their teams into one division (Competitive, Middle, Novice, and All Women) at the time of registration so that teams can race against other teams of the same caliber for the morning and afternoon races. Self-seeding shall comport with the following guidelines:

1) Any team that finished within the top 30 in the last festival should enter the Competitive division.
2) New teams or teams that finished in the bottom 20 in the last festival should enter the Novice division.
3) Other teams that have had racing experience should be in the Middle division.

These are guidelines and it is up to the team Manager to decide self-seeding into divisions.

2.3.1 Team Manager (or Captains) will self-select one of a list of authorized challenge categories at the time of registration. No team will be allowed to have a challenge category of one team.

2.3.4 The Festival reserves the right to modify divisions and or challenge categories and select and or move a team if appropriate. The Festival is the sole arbiter of seeding, race times, and lane assignments. Note: but for the All Women division, self-seeding or Festival changed seeding will not affect how teams are selected for the finals. Teams may also enter the women’s or youth challenge category. Women’s teams must have all female paddlers; the steersperson and drummer may be male. All paddlers on youth teams must be at least 12 years as of the first practice session, but not greater than 18 years old as of the race. Youth competitors will provide dates of birth; the team manager must be an adult.

2.4 Failure to pay fees on time or file requisite documents or information on time shall result in termination of registration subject to the discretion of the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.

2.5 Teams withdrawing from the event after registering must submit notice in writing prior to July 1, 2018. All registration fees and deposits are nonrefundable notwithstanding termination of team registration, team cancellation or disqualification, race cancellation, race re-scheduling, or any other reason.

3. Waivers

3.1 All team members must sign waivers stating that they have read and understand the conditions of the waiver and are aware of and accept all risks associated with the event, and waive all rights to take legal action against any of the sponsors, their volunteers and employees, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, its volunteers and employees, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival organizing committee, its volunteers and employees, the Wikiwiki Wahine, its directors and volunteers, and any other person, partnership, corporation or association in any way associated with the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, for injury or death, or for loss or damage to property, howsoever caused. For participants 18 years of age or less, parents or guardians must also read, understand and sign the waivers.

3.2 Team Managers must submit to the Lake Superior Dragon Boat

Festival properly signed, dated and witnessed waivers for all team members at Registration the Friday of the Festival. The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival may accept late submission of waivers at its discretion; however, waivers must be read, understood, signed and witnessed well in advance of any on-water activity.

4. Dragon Boats and Equipment

4.2 All equipment shall be returned in good condition immediately following practices and races. In the event that the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival determines negligence, replacement or repair costs shall be charged to the team responsible.

4.3 Any teams or members wishing to use paddles or personal flotation devices not provided by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival must first have these items approved by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival at its discretion.

4.4 The drum and drumsticks provided by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival shall be used to signal the stroke rate in addition, a team may use electrically assisted voice commands.

5. Teams

5.1 A person shall be a registered team member of only one team unless volunteering to race with another team under the guidelines in section 2.2.

5.2 All team members must be registered.

5.3 A registered team member must be 12 years old prior to the first practice session.

5.4 A registered team member must be listed on the team roster by the Team Manager, must have read, understood, signed, dated, and have had witnessed the waiver, and must have had such waiver filed by the Team Manager with the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.

5.5 Teams are allowed a maximum 26 registered members, comprising of:

* 1 Drummer
* 1 Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival Qualified Steers-persons
* 20 Paddlers
* 4 Spares
Of any of the above, one person must be registered as the Team Manager.

5.6 Each team must race with a Drummer.

5.7 The Steers-person will be provided by the Festival unless the team has an experienced Steers-person who has competed in a previous Dragon Boat Race. At its discretion, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival may at any time replace any team’s Steers-person at with another Steers-person, despite that replacement not being a registered member of that team. At its discretion, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival may at any time direct that a team not participate further in on-water activity due to its Steersperson not being capable.

5.8 At its discretion, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival may at any time require a check of crew members against their team rosters. 5.9 Team Managers shall ensure that only registered team members participate in on-water activities. Any team permitting a non-registered person to participate in any on-water activity shall be subject to disqualification and be prohibited from further on-water participation, subject to the discretion of the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.

5.10 At its discretion, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival may disqualify and prohibit from further participation any team member or team if such a team member or team displays unsportsmanlike or dangerous conduct.

5.11 Each team and each team member is required to follow these rules.

5.12 The Team Manager shall be responsible for:

* Team Conduct
* Communication and Distribution of Information to the Team
* Communication with the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.
* Collection and filing of all requisite information and forms with the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival
* Liaison with race officials
* Attendance at the Team Managers’ meeting prior to the commencement of the Team coaching clinics. The meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, at the Stage Area of the Festival Grounds on Barker’s Island. All team managers or representatives from the team from the Duluth-Superior area should attend this meeting.

SAFETY PROCEDURES, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND GENERAL SANCTIONS

1. Application

Safety Procedures, Emergency Procedures, and General Sanctions apply throughout the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, including but not limited to practices and races.

2. Safety Procedures

2.1 The Steers-person is responsible for the Dragon Boat and the team.

2.2 The Steers-person shall communicate the safety procedure and emergency procedure to each team member before each practice session and before each race.

2.3 Dragon Boats shall give way to each other and must give way to all other persons and vessels.

2.4 Each team member shall wear a personal flotation device during all on water activities, including all practices and races.

2.5 Each team member shall be capable of swimming 50 meters while wearing a personal flotation device. The Team Manager shall ensure that all team members are capable of complying with this rule.

2.6 Each team member is responsible for his or her own safety at all times while engaging in activities related to practicing and racing in Dragon Boats.

2.7 Individuals or teams deemed unsafe by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival or its designate shall not be permitted to continue on-water activities, including all practices or races.

2.8 It is an unsafe practice for team members to jump out of the Dragon Boat and into the water. This activity will result in a team being disqualified from competition.

3. Emergency Procedures

In the event of a Dragon Boat swamping or capsizing, the following shall apply.

3.1 The Steers-person shall retain charge of the team until rescue personnel arrive.

3.2 The Steers-person shall immediately determine if any persons are trapped in the Dragon Boat, and act accordingly.

3.3 Each team member must ensure that the team members immediately in front, behind, and beside, are not trapped in the Dragon Boat.

3.4 Each team member must follow directions given by the Steers-person, until such time as rescue personnel arrive, after which each team member must follow directions given by rescue personnel.

3.5 The crew must hold onto the Dragon Boat. Individuals must not swim to shore.

3.6 Upon ensuring that no persons are in distress, the rescue personnel shall direct the team to swim the Dragon Boat to shore, with or without towing assistance by the rescue personnel.

4. General Sanctions

4.1 Participants are expected to compete in a sportsmanlike and safe manner during the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, including practices and all related events. Sportsmanlike and safe conduct includes:

4.1.1 Paddling in a safe manner, including obeying commands from steerspersons.

4.1.2 Maintaining sobriety and not carrying alcohol while participating or attempting to participate in on-water activities.

4.1.3 Obeying the rules of the festival.

4.1.4 Treating other competitors, officials and spectators in a respectful and sportsmanlike manner.

4.1.5 Handling and using equipment in a reasonable manner to avoid damage or loss.

4.1.6 Obeying request and instructions by officials or their designates.

4.1.7 Competing with honorable intent and avoiding conduct likely to bring the sport into disrepute.

4.2 Race officials shall warn participants that an offense has occurred either verbally or by raising a black flag and notifying them of the specific offense. Participants will have an opportunity to respond. The offense will be reported to the Race Director. The Race Director will issue a formal warning, assess time penalties of between 1-5 seconds for each offense, or disqualify the offending crew.

4.2.1 When equipment is damaged or lost through the willful, reckless, or negligent actions of a person or team, then that person or team shall be responsible for financially reimbursing the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.

PRACTICES

1. Location

Practices will take place at Barker’s Island Marina transient docks. Teams shall meet at the parking lot near the Barker’s Island Ship’s Store.

2. Schedule

2.1 As part of the registration fee, each team shall be granted a practice sessions during the evenings or weekends of the two weeks immediately preceding the race. Additional sessions may be available for a further fee, as scheduling and staffing may permit. Arrangements for scheduling practice sessions or extra practice sessions shall be made through Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival Team Training Coordinator (Wikiwiki Wahine) or such persons as the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival shall otherwise designate.

2.3 All practices shall be coordinated by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival or such persons or organizations as it may designate, and team members and teams shall follow the directions given by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival or such persons or organizations as it may designate.

2.4 By the completion of its final practice, each team’s manager shall either inform the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival of which two members on its roster have been qualified as Steers-persons by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, or shall make arrangements with the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival for the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival to provide a Steers-person for the race.

2.5 Teams assembling with less than sixteen Paddlers plus Drummer plus Steers-person shall forfeit their practice without right to rescheduling.

RACES

1. Location

Races will take place at Barker’s Island on the north side of the Barker’s Island inlet. Teams shall assemble at the designated areas noted on maps provided in the team packet.

2. Race Scheduling

2.1 The starting order for all races will be determined prior to race day by the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, and be issued to Team Managers. The starting order will also be at the marshalling area.

2.2 Team Managers will have previously self-seeded their teams into one division (Competitive, Middle, Novice, and All Women) so that teams can race against other teams of the same caliber for the morning and afternoon races.

2.3 Race times and lanes will be assigned within these divisions by a random draw for the morning session, unless there is a special request for teams to race each other (e.g. bank sponsored teams may want to race each other or teams from four different local university/colleges may want to race each other). Race times and lanes for the afternoon session shall be selected by Festival staff to comport with the following guidelines:

1) To the extent possible, a team should not compete in the afternoon against the teams which it competed in the morning.

2) To the extent possible, a team should not compete in the afternoon in the same lane in which it competed in the morning.

2.4 Each race will start as soon as possible following the race preceding it. Although the order of races shall remain constant, the start times shall be approximate. Each team must be prepared to race significantly before its estimated race time. Team Managers are responsible for monitoring the progression of the races and ensuring that their team is ready to race when called upon, regardless of the estimated start time. In its discretion, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival shall not wait for teams which are not ready to start prior to their estimated race times.

2.5 Teams in the finals will be determined by the best single time for each team. Teams will be ranked according to their best race time and divided into groups, Gold, Silver, Bronze, All Women, with the 4 fastest All Women teams to race in the All Women final. From the remaining teams, the number of such teams shall be divided into equal thirds with any fraction rounded down. The four fastest teams in each third shall race in the Gold, Silver, and Bronze finals, respectively. Any teams remaining after selection of the All Women, Gold, Silver, and Bronze groupings will not participate in a final.

3. Pre-race Procedure

3.1 Teams shall report to the marshalling area at least 45 minutes prior to the estimated start time of their race. Team Managers are responsible for reporting in.

3.2 Teams members shall board the Dragon Boat in accordance with the instructions of the Dock Personnel.

3.3 Teams shall board the Dragon Boat designated to them and will proceed to the start area on instructions from the Dock Official.

3.4 No more than two spare paddles may be boarded.

3.5 Teams shall follow the race course route as designated on the official course map provided to team Managers or, if changes are necessary, according to directions provided by the Chief Marshall.

3.6 Once in the start area, teams shall follow directions of the Chief Starter.

4. Race Procedure

4.1 The starting procedure will be determined by the Race Director and communicated to the teams before the race. Depending on conditions, the starting procedure may be changed and will be communicated to teams on race day. Managers are responsible for ensuring that all team members know and understand the starting procedure. A false start shall be indicated by the starter sounding the start horn a second time. The Course Umpire shall assist in stopping the boats and bringing them back to the start.

4.2 After a fair start, the Course Umpire shall resume control of the race.

4.3 The correct course for each boat is a straight line down the middle of its marked racing lane, from the start to the finish line. Crews are responsible for their steering and leave the racing lane or deviate from their line at their own risk. Even when crews are in their racing lanes or following a racing line, at least two (2) meters of clear water must be maintained between paddlers of each boat. Crews must give clear water when directed by the Course Umpire.

4.4 The Course Umpire shall follow the dragon boats down the course, and if necessary and where possible, direct steerers to maintain the middle of their lanes.

4.5 If a dragon boat appears to be losing directional control, is crossing out of its lane, is encroaching on the side of its lane, or is riding the wake of another dragon boat, the Course Umpire may either stop that dragon boat, or any or all other dragon boats, so as to avoid possible collisions.

4.6 If progress of a dragon boat is materially affected by another dragon boat, the Course Umpire may halt the race and issue a re-start or halt the boats involved and issue a re-start for those boats.

4.7 If for any reason, circumstances arise such that the Course Umpire, in the Course Umpire’s discretion, determines that a race should be halted, then the Course Umpire shall halt the race and issue a re-start.

4.9 If a dragon boat is not steering straight down the course and is in jeopardy of colliding with another boat, its crew shall immediately hold the dragon boat (jam their paddles into the water and stop the dragon boat) so as to prevent the dragon boat from crossing out of its lane or spinning out.

4.10 In the case of a collision, the Course Marshal shall report the circumstances to the Race Director, who will order on or more boats to rerace, or disqualify the offending boat(s). When, in the judgment of the Race Director, a crew could have avoided a collision but failed to take corrective action, the crew shall be disqualified from the competition.

4.11 Restarts make take place immediately, or may be held later in the day, at the discretion of the Race Director.

4.12 At the finish, the Course Umpire will signal a clean race with a white flag, and a penalty with a red flag. Penalties shall be reported by the Course Umpire to the Race Director.

5. Post-race Procedure

5.1 Teams shall follow the instructions of the race officials after finishing the race and avoid actions that put other boats at risk of collision.

5.2 Paddlers with access to bailing buckets shall bail continuously from the finish until back at the dock. Paddlers shall not splash or otherwise deliberately bring water into the Dragon Boat. Upon arrival at the dock, each Dragon Boat shall be substantially free of water and be ready for the next race.

5.3 Teams shall approach the docks at a dead slow pace so as to avoid collision damage.

6. Race Penalties

6.1 Teams missing the start of their race shall be disqualified from that race. Race officials are not obliged to wait for tardy teams.

6.2 Any Dragon Boat false starting will be issued a warning. A second false start will result in disqualification from the competition

6.3 Any Dragon Boat materially affecting the progress of another Dragon Boat, such as by leaving its lane, will be assessed a penalty of 5 seconds. (A crew that has gone out of lane due to an involuntary steering error and in correcting the error leaves its lane, shall not normally be penalized under this rule unless another crew is impeded and the race is materially affected.

6.4 General sanctions continue to apply in addition to race penalties.

6.5 A team may not qualify for a gold, silver, or bronze final with a race result that includes a time penalty.

7. DISPUTES, PROTESTS and DISQUALIFICATIONS.

7.1 Disputes. Disputes that arise during a competition between Crews shall be addressed to the Race Director and dealt with in the same way as a Protest.

7.2 Racing Protests. In the event of a crew wishing to make a protest following a race, concerning the conduct of another crew or the race result, the Manager, and only the Manager must lodge the protest with the Chief Official and post a protest fee within fifteen (15) minutes of the end of the race. The protest fee is $100, which will be refunded should the protest be upheld.

7.4 Decisions. The Race Jury shall consist of the Race Director, the Course Umpire, LSDBF Representative (Lead Dock, or Lead Registration person), and one other race official drawn from the officiating team. The Race Director may consult with the Race Jury before reaching a decision. After reaching a decision the Race Director must inform all the parties involved of the decision and of the reasons for the decision. The decision of the Race Director is Final.

7.5 The officiating team shall consist of the Race Director, Chief Starter, Course Umpire, Chief Marshall / LSDBF Representative. An official may be appointed to multiple positions by the Race Director with notice to Chief Marshall / LSDBF Representative.